Male infertility plays a role in at least 40% of infertility cases. The good news is that male infertility is often easier and less expensive to diagnose, since many causes can be uncovered with a simple semen analysis. The bad news is that male infertility is not always as simple as it seems.

For couples all over the nation, conceiving a child is one of the greatest challenges they will ever face. No matter how much love and devotion they put into expanding their family, some people are continually facing a slew of legitimate medical reasons that make it difficult to overcome infertility.

Today’s technology means that there is a better chance than ever before of seeing your dreams come true, but a little bit of knowledge helps to light your way towards success. As you move along on your journey towards welcoming a little one of your own, here’s our rundown of some of the most common causes of infertility issues.

Having a baby is one of the most significant events an individual or couple will ever face. Along the journey to bringing your little one into the world, you will face countless decisions, but few will have as great an impact on your way to conceive than your selection of a fertility clinic.

If you are having difficulty getting pregnant with a second child, it is possible that you could be experiencing secondary infertility. If this is the case, either you or your partner has gone through a physical change that has affected your ability to conceive again. It is important not to jump to this conclusion, however. You will want to be sure you have been trying for at least a year before considering this as a possibility. If you are over 35, than you will want to investigate this possibility after 6 months. However, once you have reached this point, it is time to see a specialist.

There are a number of fertility clinics listed online as being “the best” and “most successful places to go.” Unfortunately, most likely these places are very expensive and not even in your area. Better yet, the clinics that are conveniently located near you will not hesitate to tell you that they are the best in town.

So, how are you going to be able to tell what makes a good fertility clinic? First, you will want to be sure that the clinic is aware of the proper steps of a standard successful IVF process.

When a mature egg gets released from the ovary and is pushed down the fallopian tube, and is available to be fertilized, this is called ovulation. What usually happens during ovulation is that one of the eggs in your ovaries will mature each month. A common misconception is that if you're ovulating, you are fertile, and therefore have the ability to achieve pregnancy.

If you have found yourself in the position of needing assistance conceiving a child, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is most certainly something worth considering. IVF is the most effective form of assisted reproductive technology. If you connect yourself with a superb fertility clinic your chances of getting pregnant are fairly high. With the most up to date science on your side, you have almost as high of a probability getting pregnant using IVF as those do with healthy functioning reproductive systems.

An IVF procedure with the help of donor eggs is an effective option for individuals who have struggled with getting pregnant on their own as the result of infertility or in the case of a same sex couple in which neither partner produces eggs. Many couples in positions similar to yours have gotten pregnant this way.

If you are considering IVF or have already had unsuccessful IVF cycles, you may want to consider preimplantation genetic testing (PGT). This is a procedure used to screen the embryos before they are implanted in the uterus for any possible genetic diseases or disorders that could be passed onto the child.